Melt the Frozen Heart
by Muirgheal-of-Lantern-Waste
Summary: After Arendelle is saved, Hans still has to be sentenced, and the royal sisters must learn to live with each other once again-with the help of our favorite love experts, of course. A Christmas fanfic for a friend, with the requested ship of Hans/Elsa, or Helsa. Rated T for mild violence and... er... exclamatory language.
1. Prologue

**Note: **I don't ship Helsa because I like the idea that you can have a Happily Ever After _without_ a man. I like the idea that you can be perfectly happy, mature, fulfilled, and single. So I don't ship Elsa at all. But it's definitely an interesting idea to explore.

Anywayyy...

**Merry Christmas, Emily!**

This is all for the lovely Emily, a faithful fellow fangirl and creative shipper. Wishing you a lovely holiday season and a wonderful new year!

* * *

"But Elsa—I—"

"Hans, you're lucky I haven't frozen _your_ heart. You hurt my little sister and threatened my kingdom. Do you think I have ANY patience for a man like you? Next time, you had better have more to say." Icicles formed all around the room, all threatening to impale Hans. She turned to the guards. "Take him back to his cell. He doesn't have anything new to say." Elsa said sharply, in her low, cold voice. Leaning on the table in the small prison office, she didn't bother to watch as they dragged him away. She felt a touch on her shoulder and turned around.

Anna stood there, looking dubiously at the ice that had formed on the table. "Didn't go well?"

"He still insists that he's changed, that he'll tell his story as long as I'll believe that he really… has changed. But I can't believe him, and I still want to know more about his plans, motivations, anything. I need to know so I can prevent this from happening again."

Anna dragged up a chair and sat down. "Elsa, it's not going to. Neither you nor I will ever be that weak again. Because we're together, we're stronger, and I'll listen to you, when you have something important to say, and you'll listen to me, when I want to try something new. Everything will be better. Speaking of things being better, what do you want to do for Yuletide?"

Elsa smiled. It was nice to finally be able to have things to look forward to and plan with Anna. They walked out together into the winter sunlight, arm in arm.

Hans gazed after her. Even though it was Anna he'd courted, it had always been Elsa, fascinatingly unreachable, beautiful, dangerous, that he thought of. Even now, every time she interrogated him, mining for information that might still threaten Arendelle, he could only be dazzled by her fearless persistence, the wit and confidence with which she spoke, the brilliant mind that could both design a dazzling castle in the mountains. She was certainly beautiful, but she was also so much more. He slumped back against the stern prison walls. At least he still saw her regularly. It would have to be enough.


	2. Trial

"Your Majesty, he doesn't eat, just stares off into the distance and draws these… patterns on the walls." Master Albert paced Elsa's office. It was his only irritating characteristic. She never knew where to look when talking to him.

"Albert, how often must I inform you that I do not care whether he starves himself. He is an enemy of the state and is to be treated as such."

"He is also a prince of the Southern Isles, with whom we can't afford a diplomatic issue."

"They don't much like him either, those twelve or eleven or however many brothers he has."

"A hunger strike or a madness brought on by prison will reflect poorly on Arendelle regardless. Imagine our allies when they hear the news. They'll think that we treated him brutally simply because he spurned the Princess Anna. A childish feud."

Elsa sighed and ran her hands through her hair. "I see your point. But he still might be planning something."

Albert shook his head. "Not in that state."

"He's merely playing on our sympathies."

"He's starving."

"Conspiring!"

"Elsa!" cried the advisor. Elsa turned around to glare at him, but noticed that she had thrown a wall of icy spikes around him.

"I'm sorry." She melted them, subliming the water back into vapor.

Albert sat down on the chair opposite her desk. "It's nothing, Your Majesty. I understand it's worrisome, and it's certainly a precaution we must take when handling Hans. However, we need to get him out of that prison, do something definite to him beyond interrogating him."

"Move the trial date, then. To tomorrow."

"Adolphus Nikolaus Hans, youngest Prince of the Southern Isles is on trial for attempted regicide and usurping the throne during the absence of Queen Elsa and Princess Anna." The judge read from his papers sonorously and somberly. The trial began.

Hans swallowed and tried to remember not to bite his tongue in his anxiety. The voices were a blur, and Hans knew there was only one thing they could find him. Guilty. The only thing was to wait for the sentence and hope that it wouldn't involve an icy death. His wrists were rubbed red and raw from the manacles, and he was nearly fainting from weariness. But these were nothing compared to the dullness that lay on his heart. He was guilty. Would never be anything but guilty. He risked a gaze at Elsa. One glance from her and he began studying the floor. He wondered whether she could freeze a person's heart by looking at them.

Elsa leaned back on her throne, the picture of a ruler confident and serene in her power. Both kinds of power, for Elsa. She knew that her nearly white hair was bound in its characteristic braid, that the crown they had recovered from her ice castle gleamed on her brow, and that her regal, ice-inspired gown flowed gracefully across her legs and down to the floor. With her magic and her position, she was the most powerful person in the room, and she knew it. But why was there still a lingering twitch of nervousness inside? It was Hans. There was something about him that still unsettled Elsa. He was lovely, perfectly lovely, if you tried not to think about the things he had done. The armrest beneath her hand was covered in a coat of ice. To distract herself, Elsa glanced at her sister and gave a half smile. Anna smiled back, clearly uncomfortable in the wooden pews and rather bored. The unsettledness faded. The Queen of Arendelle began to tap her fingers on her throne in an old code that the sisters had worked out.

Anna shifted in her seat. As a witness, she had to sit through the whole thing, but at least she didn't have to preside over the court like Elsa did. She didn't know how her sister could stand the attention. Now that she understood Elsa's fears, she understood the pressure that had kept them apart. But not anymore. Catching a smile from Elsa, Anna beamed. J-U-D-G-E-S-O-U-N-D-S-S-O-F-U-N-N-Y, Elsa tapped out. Sitting close to the aisle, Anna tapped a message back. D-O-N-T-T-H-E-Y-A-L-L. They continued like this, talking about the upcoming Yuletide ball, and the lovely new matching gowns they would wear. It was childish, but Elsa deserved to be a child once in a while, Anna thought.

"GUILTY."

Anna jumped in her seat, and Elsa tried hard not to laugh, tapping Y-O-U-S-L-E-P-T-T-H-R-O-U-G-H-I-T. Anna grinned sheepishly.

"The defendant has been found guilty by the High Court of Arendelle. Your Majesty, what is the sentence?"

Elsa dropped all childishness and stood. She examined Hans dispassionately as he stammered and pled for mercy. Everyone knew he was guilty. Lying and charming could not save him now. She stared into those pleading, lovely eyes and said, "Exile." Hans gasped in relief. This was better than imprisonment and far better than death. "Prince Hans, you are hereby sentenced to exile to the Ice Palace on the North Mountain. You will be escorted there by Snow guards of my creation. They only stop at my command. They cannot be reasoned with, cannot be charmed, and cannot be tricked. If you attempt any of these, they will likely kill you. They are also your only guides up the mountain. Attempts to thwart this decision will prove futile. You will be provided for."

Hans tried to lie to himself. It was the first act of deception, what made the performance so convincing to others. _It won't be so bad. Only a year. A year is short. _He gazed desperately at Elsa, taking in every detail of her voice, her dress, her stance, everything about her that he so loved.

"This will be your lot, enemy of Arendelle, for ten years and a day, unless your brothers in the Southern Isles summon you before then. After these years, you will be returned to your homeland in disgrace."

Even as the guards led him out, Hans could not take his eyes off of Elsa. She stared at him without anger, without revulsion. Just—nothing. But even that was something to cling to, something to remember for the years of silence and desolation.

Anna caught Elsa's eye, surprised. As they walked out, she caught her sister's arm and whispered, "But he tried to _kill_ you! And would have let me die! I'd have done something to him at least."

Elsa shook her head. "I'm not like him."


	3. The Lonely Mountain

(Three fanfics to write and I'm not even done with one. D: This one keeps taking longer than I think it will, and then my parents want me to take walks with them. Physical exercise. Who ever heard of that.)

* * *

The road up to the North Mountain wasn't as cold as it had been during Elsa's winter. Arendelle's natural winter was harsh, but at least not magically enhanced. He'd been given basic winter gear, so he wouldn't freeze to death. As the day wore on into night, the chill wound its way in between the crack between the old boots and poorly darned socks, and the freezing triangle of bare skin on his collarbone unprotected by either the cloak or his sweater. It wound its way through the layers and layers of discarded and poorly patched clothes down into his bones. His guards, made of snow, did not seem to notice that their charge was faltering.

Hans tripped over something, though he couldn't see anything there, and lay sprawling in the snow. He would have liked very much simply to lie there in the dark… it was strangely warm…

Somewhere in the hazy depths of his mind, he felt something wet on his face and sleepily attempted to brush it off.

"He's awake! He's awake!" "Is it another prince?" "Looks like it."

The cacophony of voices slowly woke Hans enough to realize that a mossy, green, _thing_ had been breathing in his face.

"Ahhhh!" screamed Hans.

"Ahhhh!" screamed the troll. For trolls they were, who had seen the failing human, and the snow guards who carried him.

"How—what—?"

"Calm yourself, kid. We just saw those giant snowmen taking you in there and thought you might need a little fixing up. This little one"—the troll held up the small troll that had been screaming—"was apparently trying to make sure you were alive. Or something.  
"There was no way we could get you out of the Ice Palace without those snowmen doing crazy things, so we just set up camp in here."

Hans looked around. Elsa's flawless, geometrically perfect castle was filled with grungy, mossy trolls, who were looking after their young, talking, making blankets, and generally bumbling gracelessly about.

_Just my luck, to be not only banished and without Elsa, but stuck with this band of disgusting… things._ He moved to stand up and attempt to explore a way out of the castle, but found himself bundled in a mass of roughly woven, yet surprisingly soft blankets. He decided to just relax and sleep, just a little bit longer. These odd creatures might be rather dirty and unkempt, but they seemed harmless and vaguely benevolent. He struggled to keep awake. They might try something while he was asleep. He knew he would have done the same. He had to keep alert.

"Why are you here? What do you want?" Hans attempted to sound commanding and regal, but all that came out was a blurry murmur.

"Aw, listen to him. He's starting to talk crazy. Must be the cold. Here now, just have a little something to eat. It'll warm you right down to your toes." A troll to his right gave him a wooden bowl full of warm soup. He accepted it gratefully. It had been a while since he'd eaten.

"Do you have a spoon?"

"Spoon? Spoooooon? What funny thing is a spooooon?" said the trolls.

"Well how else am I supposed to eat this soup?"

The trolls blinked at him.

"You drink it straight out of the bowl!" One troll mimed lifting the bowl to its lips and swallowing.

Hans had never drunk soup in such an uncivilized way before. Hesitantly, he lifted it to his lips as the troll had shown. The soup was made of carrots, potatoes, and something he couldn't quite name. The prince wasn't sure he wanted to know what it was. Unlike most of the food he'd eaten growing up, it was simple and hearty, with no dainty garnishes or elegant sides. But it was warm, filling, and delicious. He smiled contentedly.

But wait! What if it was poisoned? That must be why he was feeling so warm and comfortable. The poison he'd used on that irritating duchess had worked that way. The victim never knew…

Hans struggled to keep awake. He desperately fought the contented, warm feeling that radiated from his belly down to his toes and fingers and filled every crevice of his weakened frame. He noticed, on the periphery of his awareness, that he was no longer shivering.

"Shhh… don't fight it. Just sleep. You sure need it after that climb."

Hans nodded. What had he been so worried about? He couldn't quite remember. In fact, he couldn't remember anything but the warmth of the soup and the softness of the blankets. He decided to close his eyes… just for a little bit.

The sunlight slowly oozed down the lonely mountain where two giant snowmen kept watch over an icy castle. A small pack of trolls went down the mountain to their home, leaving four or five to keep watch over the sleeping prince.

"Why do you think he's here?"

"Dunno. Humans do funny things. I wonder if Kristoff and Anna know him…"


	4. Blankets and Confessions

Hans woke up with a crick in his neck. Out of all the things that had happened to him, including banishment to a desolate mountain, meeting then promptly losing the love of his life, and an isolated childhood, he was at the moment most angry about the crick in his neck.

So apparently the poison hadn't worked. Or there hadn't been any. Or it was just reeaaaally slow acting. Either way, there was nothing to be gained by worrying about it just now.

Rubbing his neck irritatedly, he looked around. Only four or five of the trolls from the night before were still around, and the wooden bowl had been washed and neatly dried. Hans disentangled himself from his blankets and sat up.

"Um, excuse me?"

One of the trolls looked up. "Look! He's sitting up! Hello there!"

Hans wondered whether they were going to say that every time he woke up, but continued with what he had meant to say.

"I—I don't think I was exactly polite to you last night. I'd like to thank you for the soup and the blankets. My name is Hans, prince of the Southern Isles. Although, that last bit's not so important anymore."

"Hey, that's okay. I wouldn't be very nice either if I was drug up a mountain in the snow. I'm Bofir, and that's Bufir, Bafir, Beefier, and Bayli," it—he?—said, introducing the trolls.

"That's… confusing. I'm afraid I'm unable to tell you apart."

"It's all right. Everything is, with trolls. So tell me. What kind of trouble are you in?"

Hans glanced at the little round troll, with its oddly speckled, softened features. Out of habit, he tried to think of a convincing lie. _But it would be so nice to tell the truth for once. Not to have to think of three different things all at once._ _It would be so nice to share these things with someone._

"Well I hardly know where to start. Do you know the royal family of Arendelle?" asked Hans.

"I don't know Arendelle, but I know Princess Anna and her sister."

Hans' heart sank. "Well, ah… in that case."

"You don't have to tell us if you don't feel like it. How are you feeling today?"

"Much better, thank you. May I ask why you and the other trolls decided to help me?"

"We don't ask questions like that, human. We just do things cuz you know, we can."

"That doesn't make much sense, I'm afraid, but all right."

Another troll waddled over. "Hey there. You sure you're not feeling, you know, alone, depressed, reclusive or anything?"

"Not particularly, no. Why?"

The troll shrugged. "Tends to happen to people who get stuck out in the wilderness by themselves. Which begs the question. What are you doing out here?"

"I just asked him that."

Hans played with the corner of a blanket, trying to think of a convincing lie.

"Don't lie. There's nothing to be afraid of anymore. Not with us."

Hans forced himself not to look up and not be startled. It was just a coincidence that the troll had said that. _Of course I have to lie. There's always something to be afraid of. _He scolded himself. _It's not fear. It's CAUTION._ "I was accused of attempting to murder the royal family when all I did was try to get to know one of the sisters because…" _Because I loved her. _Hans pushed the thought away. "Because I thought we were alike enough to be friends. It was a terrible mistake."

The trolls looked at each other. "You should go back and fix it then."

"No. No. No. I can't."

They all drew closer, one with hands on hips. "What do you mean you can't? Can't is just in your head."

Hans got up, folded the blankets, and stalked off towards the remarkable staircase in the Ice Castle, not noticing any of it, muttering faintly "You don't understand. I was wrong. We're not alike at all."

The trolls looked at each other. "Follow him?" "Yep!"

They raced up the stairs, surprisingly quickly for their stumpy bodies, and soon caught up with Hans.

"Well you have to do _something_ while you're here! Wanna learn how to knit blankets?"

He smiled. "Why not?"

A mass of greyish yarn filled the balcony, as they made blankets in the sunlight. Hans's blanket looked more like a slowly decomposing fishnet, but it was still oddly satisfying.

"So, if I pull this string"—Hans grasped a strand of the loose grey material—"like so, that makes the weave tighter?"

"Maybe. You should try it," advised one of the trolls, grinning.

Hans pulled the thread, causing half of his loosely constructed blanket to unravel.

He half-glared at the troll. "Well then."

By the time the light out on the balcony was fading, Hans's blanket was considerably more… well, blanket-like. It was still not tight enough to be effective, but it was much, much better. The trolls were wonderful teachers, who made light of Hans's mistakes but not of his efforts. It wasn't like learning statecraft with his older brothers, where every mistake would be met with a "How will you survive in the real world?" There was no penalty for not getting something right, and it was a delight to master a skill that wasn't somehow integral to the rest of his life.

"So why are you all so high-strung?" asked one of the trolls (Bufir or Bafir?). "Life is simple. Eat, sleep, find something to do in the meantime."

"And be nice to other people. That's important," interrupted Bayli.

Hans shrugged. "It must be wonderful to be a troll."

"I don't see a reason why humans can't live like that."

The other trolls heartily agreed.

Hans felt a prickle of irritation that soon turned into a burst of quiet rage. These sub-sentient creatures could never understand his plight. He forced his voice down. "Well maybe I could live like that if I weren't the youngest son in a royal family whose only way to ever earn affection is to take control of an entire kingdom so that perhaps my brothers might see me as an equal. And even that is not possible. Perhaps I could learn to be happy if the only person in the world who could ever understand me hadn't sent me here in the first place!"

"Queen Elsa sent you here?" "Well she must have had a really good reason!" "Yeah!" "What'd you do, try to kill her and Anna?"

Hans cursed silently at his outburst. He shouldn't have let that comment get under his skin. But there was nothing for it now. He could deny what he had said, but that wouldn't get him anywhere. The seeds of doubt had clearly been sown in the trolls' mind, and he wouldn't likely be able to convince them otherwise.

Bayli came close to him, right up in his face. "You tell me what you did, and you better be honest. No point lying now."

Hans shook his head and attempted an easy-going smile. "No, no. It was all just a misunderstanding. I'm sorry I spoke to you in such a way. It was unseemly of me."

Bafir patted him on the shoulder. "Hans, that's not right and we all know it. We don't look like much, we trolls, but in lots of ways, we know a lot more about humans than yourselves do. You also said that Elsa was the only person you thought you could connect with. We just want to know more so you can help you. That's all."

Hans swallowed.


End file.
